1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of adjustable wheel assemblies in general and in particular to a truly vertical adjustable wheel conversion assembly specifically designed for use with an adjustable height lawn mower.
2. Description of Related Art
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,649,828; 3,428,328; 3,421,776; 3,147,987; and, 3,038,736, the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse adjustable height wheel assemblies for lawn mowers.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they are uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a simple, efficient, and practical adjustable height wheel assembly that is quickly and easily adjusted in the vertical plane while still providing a 360 degree arc of rotation of the wheel castors.
As anyone who has employed the prior art devices is all too well aware, not only are their height adjustments not conducted in a linear vertical plane, but they also tend to extend outwardly from the mower housing thereby diminishing the effectiveness of the mower blade by diminishing the proximity of the rotating blade to stationary objects such as trees and fence lines.
In addition, the prior art constructions also have a tendency to restrict the maneuverability of the lawn mowers to which they are attached by hindering the rotation of the lawn mower in a 360 degree arc relative to a selected one of the lawnmower wheels. In fact, most of the aforementioned prior art constructions require that the front wheel assemblies be lifted up out of contact with the lawn in order to pivot the lawn mower around an obstruction or the like.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need among lawn mower users for a new and improved adjustable wheel conversion assembly for lawn mowers that allows the wheel assemblies to be adjusted in a truly vertical plane.